I have read that each barrel was loaded with shot, which gave them a nice wide pattern of destruction.

Thank you!!

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Actually it was a lead ball. The barrels are whats called 'turn off'. They would each unscrew to reveal a space a little like a dish, and in the middle a space for powder. Put the powder on the space, seat the ball on top and screw the barrel in tight. Add a little powder in the pan and close the frizzen. Pull back the hammer, or cock as it was called and your good to go.

Just hope it all goes off as planned. If only the powder in the pan blew, failing to ignite the main charges, all you had was a 'flash in the pan'.

Interesting the pepperboxes (see below). There were a lot found on the wagon routes out west in the US. I always figured being older (1840/50s) they would be cheaper and thus appeal to settlers who couldn't afford the latest Colts, Remingtons etc.

The pepperbox went to the transitional revolvers, with a shorter barrel lump, to reduce weight with a single barrel for the firing chamber. Next, the revolver pretty much as we have it today. I couldnt find a pic of a transitional, which is a shame because you can really see the line of development. Hey, found one, added below....

The top hammer was popular in the UK and Europe, but some US manufactures went under hammer.

The pepperbox was often an elegant little handgun like the one in your photo, or smaller, as you know with 4 or 5 barrels.

But sometimes innovation swung hard on the drawing board.

The first pic...that's a 16 round pepperbox.

The second...that's called a Jones pepperbox. It's a 10 shooter; as 10 barrels welded side by side. It has 2 hammers that alternate and as you pull the trigger they work their way down the staggered nipples.

Colt was a genius, no question but a business genius. The ex snake oil salesman became one of the most successful businessmen of his time.

He did not invent the revolver, they existed long before he ever 'carved a model after watching a ships capstan'. They were on display in the museum of the Tower of London when he was in London, and he had the 'idea' on the way back to the US.

Colt was a genius, no question but a business genius. The ex snake oil salesman became one of the most successful businessmen of his time.

He did not invent the revolver, they existed long before he ever 'carved a model after watching a ships capstan'. They were on display in the museum of the Tower of London when he was in London, and he had the 'idea' on the way back to the US.

Flintlock revolver:

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Ahhhh. I see exactly what you mean.

There is no argument that Elisha Collier probably invented the first revolver. Maybe someday we'll learn of some ancient Chinese revolver or something, but today Collier gets the inventor's title. His invention was being used in India before Sam Colt ever even blew up a prototype.

But I call Colt a genius for more than just business. Unless you're including the standardization of parts so that every part was crafted to specifications that they could be swapped out from one weapon to the next. He changed the whole industry. Back then, Colt was damn near doing space-age thinking. His product worked and worked very good.

True he was a business genius too. I mean, he did basically monopolize the US revolver market without ever stepping into illegal dirt. Pretty swift.

I agree though. No challenge. Colt did not invent the thing that most people think made him famous.

OK, we agree he did not invent the revolver, as assumed by many even today. I dont know enough about him to argue the interchangeability thing, but to say, with all due respect to Colt, it was being done by the Birmingham gun trade at the same time.

I must add, I love Colts and have handled and fired many. At least two seriously, a 1911 and M4. I even handled, with cotton gloves, a early Colt revolver presented by him to Prince Albert, Queen Victorias husband. It is in the Royal Armouries Collection.